Grain door for cars



March 21, 1933. F. D|'rc:HFu'-;LD I 1,902,544

l GRAIN' DOOR FOR CARS Filed Aug. 29, 195o 3 sheets-sheet 1 @f 714/11 www' March 21, 1933. F; DITCHFIELD 1,902,544

l GRAIN DOOR FOR CARS Filed Aug. 29, 195o s-sneetS-'sheevt 2` :i 77 .'rn. 4: 'ILE Il I {En} :i 5 f4@ L." a .3Q 20 ,445@*3/5 1,4 P 3C? 4,5 A1g 3?g5 114/ M o s 7 .3/0 a4 47 27 30 26 #ff Eff 735293236 E7 74 /,`70 Eg f4 March 2l, 1933. F. DITCHFIELD 1,902,544

GRAIN DOOR FOR CARS Filed Aug. 29, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet Z5 4 .5 M4 l |.|||||I.|||v|..a|||||||||||||||||Au||||vxlxll... .1. 1......l.|...|.||.||-.|..|.|1||....|.. l. 1 1| .l ..lv'lf nl n|||||||||||t||||||||-nn|vn||uuulh.. l ..1 |J4l|.|.||1.|||| 1J.. l 6 n n n n n 1|...|L|| n n u v/r v ..Inll u Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED ,STATES FRANK DITOHEIELD, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, AssIGNOR To THE,V YOUNGSTOWN 'STEEL DOOE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION orj OHro i GRAIN DOOR EOE CARS Application filed Aixgust 2.9, 1930. .Serin No. 478,645;

This invention relates to improvements in grain doors for cars.

As well known to those skilled in the art, there has long been a demand for a satisfactory permanent type of grain door for box cars and numerous attempts have'been made to supply this demand. The mostcommon arrangement heretofore suggested has involved the use of a' main panel or door sec.-

tion pivoted at its outer edge adjacent the Vside doorrsill, which main section or panel, when not in use as a main door, becomes a part of the car floor. 'Due to limitations-in the width of the car, such main'sectionsor panels cannot be made of the necessary height to closethe side dooropening and in order toV provide for the additional height f necessary when the door is in operative position,` it has been customaryto provide 2o a pivoted or slidably connected auxiliary or supplemental flap or section attached to the inner'or free edge ofthe main door section'. In snch constructions, the auxiliary or supplemental sections have always heretofore been folded under or disposed under the main door section or panelwhen therlatter is in the horizontal inoperative floor position. Further, so far as I am aware, all such main door sections have heretofore been made of wood, presumably to conform to the remaining'wood'floor ofthe box car. The types of grain doors above referred to have not proven satisfactory in service, particularly because the main wood door section' or panel hasits upper Vsurface ex-V posed `when lying in the horizontal iioor position and is thus subjected vto wear and distortion on its upper surface. It is this Y upper surface of the `main door section 40 which must be placed against the door posts, fillers or car lining and ,door sills,'in order to provide the-necessary grain seal and because of the distortion and wear occurring on such surface, proper seals cannot be maintainedafter such doors have been in service for any length of time, thus permitting leakage of the grain, as will be'apparent.`

lll/'lille the auxiliary or supplemental door sections are housed or protected in the former types of such grain' doors, their importance -is considerably less thanthatof the main door section,` the `auxiliaryor supplemental section being intended primarily to prevent spilling over the grain. Itfwill lfurther be obvious that 7 with Vthe former types of such grain doors, the use of metal in the exposed portions,:lying in the floor PAT-ENT OFFICE position, is impracticable because ofthe indentation that wouldtake place in the truck- 'ing in and out of the lading when thecar is used for other 'purposes than thatof carrying grain. t' .L ,4 ,i

One object` of my invention is to provide a grain door adapted to-become a part of the floorsection, when not in use as agrain door, so arranged-that those Asurfaces used to effectsealingwith the door posts, llers or car lining, are not subject to wearl or injury ,whilefin the Hoor position, so that'a proper andeicient sealing may always be maintained when the door is in operativeposition.'- f`r Another object of my invention is to provide a grain door suchthat the main or l .f

lower portion thereof, which is subject; to the maximum grain pressure, may be'made of metal of relatively light weight but great rigidity and-'sojdispose'd,V when not in use as a grain door, that it cannot be injured or i distorted from moving of the lading thereover." s f A, further objectfof my invention isto l provide a grain door forbox cars comprised of sections pivotally connected'to each other atone set of ends, theopposite end of one section being pivotally connected to the/cary adjacent-the door sill and the opposite Vend of theremaining section having a sli-dable" guiding connection withthe car side, sol that both sections are always co'nnectedfto the car body in any position thereof and their proper relation to eachother and-to the car body thereby always maintained'.V

Another object of my invention is to'pro-`A l vide a grain door for box cars of that type 9,5.

whereV the door is adapted to assume aposiktion formingv a partof thefcar floor, the ar? rangement including a main section andan auxiliary section such thatthe auxiliary section acts asa protector of guard for the i opening main section when the parts are in inoperative or floor position.

kA still further object of my invention is to provide a foldable grain door for box cars, which, when in an inoperative Hoor position, will occupy the minimum depth, so as toavoid extending too far below the floor level, where it might otherwise interfere with the usual'brake rigging and other appurtenances necessarily disposed on the car beneath the floor. Y

In the drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is arvertical transverse sectional view of a portion of a railway box car taken through the side door thereof and lshowing my improvements in connection'therewith, the improved grain door beingy there shown in Voperative vertical position. F'gure 2 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding substantially to the section line 2 2 of Figure l. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but illustrat ing the position of the door parts whenin inoperative horizontal floor position, Figure l is a horizontal sectional view corresponding` to the section linee-4 of Figure 3. And Figure 5 is vertical longitudinal sectional view corresponding to the section line 55 of Figure 4l.

ln said drawings, thegbox car is shown as having the usual `channel center sills 10 10,`with cover plate 11, Vmain wood flooring f' 12,1channel side sills v13 and needle beams ll-Ms The side ofthe car is or.v may be of Ycommon wood sheathing type, indicated at 15, wherein the door opening, is defined by Z-bar vertical door post 16-16 having wood fillers17-17- The top of the door opening is defined byV a Z-bar lin-tel 18 and the threshold is formed by a Z Y19 se cured to the outer side of the side sill 13 and wood threshold proper 20, the latter Ybeing flush with the main flooring of the car. The door opening maybe closed with any desired-type of outside deer, that shown at 21 being of the sheet metal type, which engageaat its front edge, 'within a front edgecombined stop andrsealingbar 22, the door at its rearedge` having a spark seal 23 cooperable with an angular sparlr seal 24 secured tothe reardoorpost 16.' .Said

door 21 is shown as ofthe bottom'hung type,

riding upon a track 25..mounted on brackets 26 secured atintervals to the v side sill 13.

Y In carr fing out mv invention the carv is provided, opposite each side Ydoor opening,

l.with a metallic sub-flooring 27, which is in the form of'a metal sheet or Ypanel secured at its outer edge to the side sill 13, as indicatedat 28, and having its inner edge rest ing upon the cover plate of the center sill construction, as indicated at 29. Al-oiigitsV sideed es the sub-floorino` is sup )orted b vangles 30-3O lsecured to the respective needle beams 14. Said subdlooring is preferably reinforcedby integral corrugations V31--31 and the outer portion of the subflooring is downwardly offset as clearly in# dicated in Figures 1 and 3, so as to provide the necessary space or clearance for the hinging of the main grain door section, here` inafter described. As clearly shown in Figure 5, the recess provided by the sub-flooring is sealed against leakage by suitable `angles 303O having one flange of each of lading.' As shown, said main section A M consists of a panel of' sheet metal having a plurality of integrally kformed corrugations 32 therein, said corrugations being so disposed that,lwhen said section A is in the corrugations extend downwardly below the main plane of the sheety metal panel and 'are nested within the corresponding corruand yet obtain the gations ofthe sub-flooring 27. With the nested corrugations as abovedescribed and as best illustrated in. Figure3, itis evident that: the total depth from the top. surface Vof the sub-flooring, is comparatively small,

4so that the brake` rigging or any other attachments cannot possibly be interfered with. Saidy main section A has. flat innerV and outer margins 33 and 34; and flat side margins 35-35, so that, when said section A is inoperative orclos'ed position, .as shown in ioo ` of the auxiliary section B to the lower plane Figure 1, the lower flat margin 33 will bear against the inner face of the wood threshold 2 0 and the flat side' margins 35 will bear against Vthe filler strip 17 as shownbest in Figure 2, so as to thereby provide ja tight grain seal around said three edges of the main section A. Said section YA is pivotally v connected along its outer edge to the car;

body, preferably by fa pair of Voffset hinge butts 36--36 which are in turn pivotally connected to hinge brackets 37#37 secured to the side sill 13, said brackets 37 and hinge butts 36 being accommodated. within the downwardly offset portion 'ofthesub-floor ing 27.

The* supplemental door section B is made of wood, Vpreferably in thefoi'm of aseries of boards orplanks 38e-38 suitably secured together to form a complete'rigidi-section,

said section B being of an area'somewhathorizontal position as shown in Figure 3, 9,15

larger than the area'of the main sectionA and adapted to completely overlie the latter when the door sections are yin'lino'perative horizontalposition as shown in 'Figure 3. Said planks are preferably reinforced and secured togetherby metal bindings 39 and 40 at the inner and outer edges of the secf tion B, as best shownin Figure 3.V When in horizontal inoperative position, said sec'- tion B rests, at its inner edge, on furring 41 on the center sill construction, so that said section A lies flushcwithA the mainiiooring 12 of the car. The outer edge of said section B is supported on the upper flange of the side sill 13 and said section lies flush with the door sill proper 20, all as clearly shown in Figure 3. Said section B is pivotally connected on itsunder side at a point somewhat inward of its'inner edge by suitable hinges 424-42, to the inner flat marginal portion of the main` section A, so that, when the tWo .sections and B are` elevated to vertical position, as shownin Figure 1, the `inner bound edge 39 of the` section B will extend downwardly of. and overlap the upper portion of the main section A 'and on the inner side ofthe latter so as to provide an effective grain seal along this edge. It will also be understood lthat the marginal portions of the section B lie fiat against the lining of the car in a mannersimilar to that of theV main section A, as heretofore described, thus providing a grain door of ample height to not only withstand thepressure of the main body'yof thegrain but to prevent spilling. Y Y

Referring to Figure 4, I provideZ-bar guides 4 3-43 along each side of the door opening on the inner side'of the lining.` and spaced sufliciently to permit the doorsections A and B to move therebetween to their sealed position against the car lining or fillers 17. Said guides 43 are'vertically disposed Vthroughout the greater portion of their length, but are slightly inwardly inclined at theirlovver. ortions, asV indicated at 143. `Cooperable with ,said guides 43. are

laterally extended lugs 44-44 Aformed on suitable Vcastings! or brackets secured yto the so that in any position ofthe door .section B, a guiding slidable` connectionislpresent between said section B and the car body, as will be understood. Y Y

The two-section grain door maybe elevated to its vertical operative position .by

apy suitable means, one suchv means com-v prising ahook 45 attached to 4a cable V46 adapted to be drawn through a'snatch-block 47, which in turn may be detachably connected to the lintelv orsideplate '1.8 hyengaging aneye-bracket 49. Where a discharge hopper is not used opposite the grain door, it is practically neces- ,65 saryto provide some means of relieving the outer or free edge of the Ydoor section B;

pressure of the grain on the inner side Vof Y e the grain door before the latter is opened for thel complete discharge of the car. For this purpose, I provide a relief door 50 near the bottom of themain grain door A, which '70 relief door-60 may be of anyv suitable or desired form and in the instance shown, more. or less conventionally, consists of a small sheet metal, plane. panel slidable horizontallyfin' guides l1504150 on the f inner 475 side of the main door A as showninsection in Figure 1. As .will be evident, when the relief door 50 is moved`V lengthwise so as to uncover the v.relief opening inthe main door A, the grain immediately behind the` door Willdischargeby flowing outv and the` Y levelof the grain behind the door lowered f so that the grain door proper may be swung back'suiiiciently to obtain access to the in# terior of the carand complete discharge of theylading.

Itis also desirable totemporarily hold'the two parts A and B of the grain door when in their. `operative position` before the presj sure of the graincomes-againsttheinner side If thereof. Any suitablelmeans may be employedfor this purpose, one simple expedi-l ent, as illustrated, beingtheusei of hori y zontally slidable bolts 51'-51,'` one at" each y side of the auxiliary door AB, near the jbotis' y tom thereof, which lboltsV .arev positioned either fiush or below the; outer surface of Y the auxiliary doorB andthe ends of whichf areadaptedto be projected into the yguides 43. In this manner, the two vdoor sections y3100 j A and B willbe held against any accidental displacement until the grainis filled in `be hind and afterzthe latter occurs, obviously the pressure will kbe sufficientV to keep the' door sections in firmly held'position `against =`105 the liners or fillers 17.l Y n Y y When the door sections are 1n inoperative horizontal floor position, it will beobserved Y thatthe metal main section A is completely covered and protected by the Woodsupplef j mental section B` and hence the metalgsec'- Vtionisfree from dangerof. injury or distortion. Furthermore, by making the sup.

plemental section VB ofwood, the .floor ofV the .car` is made of similar material'throughfk. 115

loutand'should any serious wear or injury` theretoY occur, the wood planks can'4 easily be replaced.V It will furtherV be noted that the surface ofthe supplemental sectionB Vwhichengages with'the car lining or lillerszoi,

,always be maintained. rlhe arrangementfisf 125,

relatively inexpensive; entails" nq material increase in costoffthe c'ar; maybe. incor-v f porated in either new or old equipment ;and Y Y provides a permanently attached graindoor .y i forl the car bodyWhilc have shown aj -r i iXedy sub-iiooiing for the car, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention may be carried out in connection with a hopper for discharging the grain whenever this is desired.

` I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate lall changes and modications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

vI claimz,

- l. In a car having a door opening anda floor, a grain door for closing said opening, said door being comprised of a main lower section andan auxiliary upper section, said sections being arranged to assume either a vertical operative position over the door opening with the surfaces on one side there- Vof adapted to engage ixed portions of the car defining the door opening to form a seal therewith, or an inoperative horizontal floor position, said auxiliary section overlying the main section when the sections are ,in the horizontal floor position and the auxiliary section having itssaid seal-formingV side faced Vdownwardly to thereby prevent injury to ,the seal-forming surfaces of;

both sections.

2. In a' car having a door openingfand a floor, a grain door for closing said opening,

said door ycomprising a sheetmetal panel pivotally connected along its outer edge to thejcar, adjacentthe door sill, said panel being adapted to assume either a vertical operative position over the lower portion of the door and seal the same, or a horizontal position within the car; and dis'placeable *means arranged, in one position, to cover said lmetal panel andprotect the same from the lading when said panel is in said horizontal position and, in another position, to constitute lan extension upwardly 4of lsaid panel when the latter is in said vertical operative position.

" 3. In a car having a door opening and a floor, a grain doorfor closing said opening, said doorcomprising a sheet-metal panel 'pivotally connected along-its outer-edge to the'car, adjacent the doory sill, saidpanel being ladapted to assume either a` vertical operative position over the` lower portionv of Athe door and seal the same, or a horizontal position within the icar; andV displaceable means arranged to cover said metal panel and protect the same when said panel is in said horizontal position, said means comprisr ing a wood panelpivotally connected to the sheet metal panel and having also an addi-` Y V,tional slidable connection with the car body.

4. In a car having a door opening and afloo'r, a grain door for closing saidv opening,said door 'comprising a main section pivotally connected along its outer edge to mental sectionA pivotally connected to the opposite edge of said main section, said sections being substantially co-eXtensive in area and both pivoted to assume either a vertical operative vposition over the door openingk with the surfaces jon one side thereof adapted to engage fixed portions ofthe carV Vdefining thejdoor opening to form a lseal therewith or 'an inoperative horizontal" position in the Hoor 'line of the car, said supplee mental section overlying the main section in said floor position and with the free edge of the supplemental section disposed adjacent the door sill, the supplemental section the two sections being pivotally connected along the opposite edge of said main section,

the flooring of Y'the car being recessed tov receive and accommodate said two. sections when folded together and with the supplemental sectionoverlying the main section,

said ysupplemental section then formingfa,

portion of .the lcar floor, said sections being arranged also to be disposed/vertically overV Ythefdoor opening with the supplemental secftion positioned above the main section, thoseV surfaces .of the' two sections which form the Asealwith 'fixedportions of the carV when in operative position being disposed face to face and protected from the lading when the two sections are vvfoldedto form a portion of the car floor. v Y v j 6. In a Vcar having a door Vopening and a floor, Aa grain door for closing said opening,

said; door comprisingy ya Vmain section .piv-

otally connected along its outer edge-to the K car, `adjacent ythe door sill and a supplemen- `tal section pivotally connectedl to the opposite edge of said main section, said sections being substantially co-eXtensive' in area vand both pivoted to Aassume either a vertical operative position over the 'door opening withk the surfaces' on one side thereof adapted to 'engage fixed portionsof vthe car defining the door opening to form Va seal therewith or an inoperative horizontal position in the floor line ofthe car, said supplemental section overlying the main section in said floor positionvwith the free edge of the supplemental section disposed adjacentfthe door sill and the seal-forming surfaces of the twjo sectionsface toface; and cooperable means on the car body adjacent the sidesof saidlsupplemental'section for slidably con'- necting the free edge of said supplemental 6 section to the car body.` the carY adjacent the doorsill and a supple:- 7 In Va carhaving a door opening and the ldoor opening and on the free edge of a Hoor, the combination with vertical guide-V ways extending adjacent the side edges of the door opening; of a main door section pivotally connected to the car adjacent the door sill and adapted to assume either a vertical position over the door opening or a horizontal position below the' Hoor line; an auxiliary door section pivotally connected to the opposite. edge of said main section; and cooperable means on the outer free edge of said auxiliary section slidably cooperable with said guides, said auxiliary section overlying the main section when the latter is in its said horizontal position and the then upper surface of the auxiliary section being substantially flush with the floor line.

8. In a car having a door opening and a main floor and sub-flooring opposite the doorl opening, and a door sill on al level with the main ooring5 the combination with a sheet metal main door section :having integrally formed strengthening indentations and pivotally connected along its outer edge to the car, adjacent said door sill; of a supplemental woodV door section pivotally connected to the opposite edge of said main section and substantially co-extensive in area therewith, said supplemental section overlying the main section when the sections are in horizontal position and said supplemental section completing the main flooring of the car, the outer free edge of said suppleinental section, when in horizontal position, being disposed adjacent and flush with Ithe door sill.

9. In a car having a door opening and a loory a grain door 4for Vclosing said opening, said door comprising: a main section adapted to assume either a vertical operative position to close the lower portion of the door opening or a horizontal position below the floor level; and displaceable means l of an area substantially V(3o-extensive with the area of said main section arranged to cover said main door section and form a part of the floor, when saidmain section is in said horizontal inoperative position, said means being displaceable to a vertical position above said main section to close the upper portion ofthe door opening.

l0. In a car having a door opening and a floor, grain door `for closing said opening comprising: a main door section and an upper supplemental section, said two sections being pivotally connected on the outer side of said supplemental section at `a point above the lower edge of the latterV whereby, when in vertical operative position over the door opening, the lower edge lof the supplemental section overlaps the upper edge of the main section on the inner side thereo-f `to provide a grain seal at the joint under pressure from the inside of the'door, said sections being foldable and arranged to assume a horizontal position in the floor line.

",ll. a car having' a door opening,'the

coinbinationwith a corrugated sheet metal sub-floor'opposite said door opening; of al corrugated sheet metal grain door movable either to a vertical operative position over the lowerv portion of the door; opening to seal the saine or a horizontal floor positionv superposed above said sub-Hoor, the corrugations of said grain door and sub-floor being so arranged 'that the-corrugations are nested when the grain Vdoor is in horizontal position, whereby to minimize the depth of the space required vfor said door and sub-floor.

l2.V In a .car having a door openingj the combination with a main grain door section mova'biy attached to the car adjacent the sill of the door and adapted vto assume either-a vertical operative positionclosing the klower portion of the door opening 'or a horizontal inoperative floor positiongof a relief doorv incorporated in said main'door section and movable therewith; and a supplemental door section arranged to assume a position above the main section when in operative position or a position superposed above the main;

section'when the latter is in floor position,

Vrelief door froinf the lading whenthe main section is in said: floor position.

13. In a car having a door opening, the

combination with a sheet metal main grain door section movably attached along one edge to the car adjacent the door sill and movable to either vertical operative position or horizontal inoperative position; of a relief. door mounted on and movable withV said main door section; and a supplemental Iooiv thesuppleniental door section protecting the g door section pivotally connected to said' main door section and adapted to fold over` movable to Iboth vertical `operative position. and horizontal inoperativeposition, the cor-i rugations of said section and sub-floor nesting when said section is in horizontal position; and a supplemental door section pivotally connected to the main section and adapted to fold on top of the latter whenv said main section isiiested with the sub-floor.

15. In a house car ,having a side door opening, the combinationwith a metal side sill having an inturned upper flange dis.-

posedat ythe bottom of the opening; of a threshold proper for the door opening disposed on top of said side sill and with its inner edge outwardly ,offset from the inner edge vof said side sill flange; a grain door adapted to assume an operative vertical closed position with its lower edge against the inner edge of said threshold and a horizontal inoperative floor position; and means pivotally connecting said lower edge of the grain door tothe side sill, said means including brackets'seeured to theundersde of said side sill flange and angularl hinge butts pvotally connected to said brackets at points below the level of said side sill llange.

AIn Witness that I claim the foregoing I Y have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th day of August, 1930. l

FRANK DITCHFIELD. f 

